Metal bridging device.



H. C. BECKNER & J. A. AHLERS.

METAL BRIDGING DEVICE.

APPLICA'HON FILED AUG-23. I916.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY CLEVELAND BECKNER AND JOSEPH ALPHONSE A HLERS, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.-

METAL BRIDGING DEV Ion.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

Application filed August 23, 1916. Serial No. 110,474.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY CLEVELAND BECKNER and JOSEPH ALrHoNsn AHLERS, citizens-of the United States, residing at Cincinnati,in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, whose addresses are, respectively, 4616 Eastern avenue and 920 Enright avenue, have invented a new and useful.

Metal Bridging Device, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a metal bridging device, or tie, the object of which is the reinforcement and holding in place of timbers and other wooden parts in all types of buiiding and construction.

The application of this device is commonly known as bridging and is most extensively used in the bracing, reinforcing and holding in place of timbers supporting floors and ceilings, known as joists.

We attain these objects by our metal bridging device, or tie, which consists of a piece of metal, pressed longitudinally into a half-round, semi-tubular shape, of a suflicient lengthto approximately negotiate the distance between the lower and upper edges V respectively of the two joists or timbers sought to be braced.

The device terminates at either end in a sharp point, but the upper end is bent forward toward the concave side of the body and at right angles thereto. The device is obliquely driven so that the lower end or point of the device is projected into the side of one joist or timber near its lower edge and the upper end or point of. the device is projected into the adjacent joist or timber near its top.

Reference is made to. the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is an isometric projection of our new device showing the entire formed body. Fig. 2 represents a section through the body at the line 10-10 in Fig. 1, showing the half-round, semi-tubular shape of the body.v

Fig. 3 represents a section through the lower part of the device at the line 11'11 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents a section through the upper part of the device at the line 1212. Fig. 5 represents two of the ties (13-13) in position and afiixed to adjacent joists or timbers, represented by 14-14.

Our device is more particularly described as follows: A piece of metal pressed longitudinally into a half-round, semi-tubular shape, of a length sufiicient to negotiate the excision being mad distance between the lower edge and upper edge respectively of the two joists or timor braced (Fig. 1).'

bers sought to. be tied Near the. lower end of the. body the sides are cut off, parallel to each other, at an angle of about 45 degrees to the liody, the e only a part of the way (see 1 in Fig. 1). From place of excision the remaining part of around the device the the point 1n line with and in the same plane'as the vertex of the convex side of the body of the device, this projection assuming the character and performing the function of a spike or nail (see 2 in Fig.1). Near the.

ody'tapers down, terminating in a sharp the function of The device is applied by driving it obliquely into the timbers so that the lower end (2 in Fig. 1) is driven into one joist or timber near the bottom thereof (asat 66 in Fig. 5) and at such an angle that the spike or-nail-like projection at'the upper end of the tie can be readily "injected and driven into the adjacent joist or timber sought to be braced, and near the top thereof (as at 7 in Fig. 5). The concave side of the device will face downward. When the device or tie is properly adjusted and applied, the ends of the sides where the excisions above described are made (see 1 and 3 in Fig. 1) will bear solidly against the perpendicular fiat surface of the respective joists or timbers (as at 8 and 9 in Fig. 5), thus forming an additional brace and rendering increased strength and firmness to the bridging. The best results are obtained by using two of the ties, applied in close proximity and driven obliquely in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 5.

Our new bridging device or tie is a strong, economic, fire-proof means of reinforcing and bracing joists or timbers, and the ease of its application and its simplicity is an enormous time and money saver.- It is designed to prevent warping, shrinking and shifting of timbers. Its use can be extended to any kind or nature of construction.

We claim: The device of the character described, being a metal bridging tie pressed into a longitudinal half-round, semi-tubular shape, with tapering from the place of excision and ter-' minating in a sharp point in line with and in the same plane as the vertex of the convex side of the body, said part perforrning the function of a spike or nail; the upper end of the device being turned above .the place of excision in the sides, and projected forward over the concave side of the body and at right angles thereto, tapering from the place of excision and terminating in a sharp point performing the function of a spike or nail as at the lower end, and all as described in the above specification.

HENRY CLEVELAND BEGKNER.

J GSEPH ALPHGNSE AI-ILFRSn 

